Great skills at junior rugby

Late showers made for a slippery afternoon of rugby sevens at the Tupapa field with college teams gathered for the inaugural Pacific Computers inter-college sevens tournament.

Tereora College looked the strongest in the first day of the tournament as they rumbled with Nukutere College, Titikaveka College, Rakei Toa, Aitutaki and the visiting Tahitian team.

In fact, Tereora College went through the pool play yesterday unbeaten and look likely to lift the inaugural inter-college trophy.

But while they dominated the days games Nukutere, Titikaveka and Aitutaki all showed great skills.

The Rakei Toa side fielded the youngest players who despite their lack of experience put up a brave battle against some of their bigger and more experienced opponents.

Titikaveka College also fields a number of young lads but they too played with plenty of guts and enthusiasm in what was a great show of age grade rugby.

To give the boys a bit of a break, a girls match was staged between students from Tereora College facing off against a Nukutere College side.

Some fantastic skills were seen in the game especially from the more confident Tereora side that went on to win in emphatic style 41-0.

The playoffs and grand final of the age grade tournament will be played out today at the Tupapa field.

Joining the junior rising stars will be the senior sevens players who will also play the playoff round and grand final round of the Constitution Sevens today at Tupapa Park.

In fact, it will be a full on rugby sevens festival at the Tupapa field where under 15, under 17, women sevens and senior mens games will feature through the day.

Games kick off at 12pm with the mens cup finals expected to be played at 4.45pm.

Because of the Constitution Sevens tournament, there are no club rugby matches today. All the action will be at Victoria Park.

- Matariki Wilson